Switch-operator.



PATBNTED MAY 9, 1905.

R. C. WRIGHT.

SWITCH OPERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.4,1905.

ZZZ Inventor Attomzgs m @mm a Patented May 9, 1905.

THE VVRlGrtYl GAUGE MAN UFAC'lTURlNG COMPANY,

OF COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO, A CORPORATION OF COLORADO.

SWl'l'Cl-POPEWATOIR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 789,582, dated May 9,1905.

Application filed February 4, 1905. Serial No. 244,216.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, RmsoN C. WRIGHT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Colorado Springs, in the county of El Paso and State ofColorado, have invented a new and useful Switch-Operator, of which thefollowing is a specification. 1

This invention relates to devices for operating the switch-points ofrailway-tracks,

[0 more particularly of street-railway tracks;

and it has for its object to provide a simplyconstructed and efiicientdevice for the purpose under the control of the motorman or otherattendant on the moving car.

With this and other objects in View, which will appear as the nature ofthe invention is better understood, the same consists in certain novelfeatures of construction, as hereinafter fully described and claimed.

in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, andin which correspending parts are denoted by like designating characters,is illustrated the preferred form of embodiment of the invention capableof carrying the same into practical operation, it being understood thatthe invention is not necessarily limited thereto, as various changes inthe shape, proportions, and general assemblage of the parts may beresorted to without departing from the principle of the invention orsacrificing any of its advantages.

In the drawings thus employed, Figure 1 is a perspective view of aportion of a street- 3 5 car track and of the platform and runninggearof a street-car with the improved devices applied. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation, Fig. 3 is a plan view, and Fig. 1 is a front elevation,enlarged, of the portion of the improved 4 device which is attached tothe car-trucks. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a modified form of theportion of the device connected to the switch-point.

In the improved device is comprised two general portions, one portionlocated within the road-bed of the track and coupled to the switch-pointand another portion connected to the car and adapted for operation bythe motorman or other attendant to actuate the switch-point.

The tracks 10 and switch point or tongue 11 are of the usualconstruction, and the point-operating portion of the device consists ofa rod '12, disposed longitudinally of the rails and preferably beneaththe tamp- 5 5 ing or paving and the ties and mounted for oscillation inbearings 13 1d and with crankarms 15 1.6 at the ends.

The crank-arm 15 extends above the surface of the tampingor paving, andthe crankarm 16 is coupled by a link '17 to the free end of theswitch-point.

The rod 12 and its crank-arms 15 16 are so disposed relative to theswitch point that when the crank member 15 is inclined at an angle toone side the switch-point will be held open and when inclined to theopposite side the switch-point will be held closed. By this arrangementit is obvious the switch point may be operated by moving the crankmember 15 from side to side of the track.

The portion of the device attached to the car comprises a frame 18,attached to a base member 19, which is in turn connected to thetruck-frame 20 of the car. A shaft 21 is mounted for oscillationtransversely of the frame 18, and pivoted upon this shaft is a bracket22, having spaced bearings 23 9A for supportinga bar or standard 25intermmliately of thestandard. 'lhestandardisrotativein the bearings 2324, but prevented from longitudinal movement therethrough by spacedcollars 26 27. Projecting from the bearing 23 is a stoplug 28, andextending from opposite sides of the collar26 are stop-studs 29 30,adapted to 5 alternately engage the stop-lug as the standard isoscillated, and thus limit the movement. Attached to the lower end ofthe standard 25 is a foot 31, preferably in triangular shape, andattached to the upper end of the standard 9 is a transverse arm 82,while a spring 33 is connected to maintain the standard yieldably inwithdrawn position. Mounted for rotation in the platform 3a of the caris a vertical standard 85, having a transverse arm 36 on the lower endbeneath the platform and an operating-handle 3'7 on the upper endconvenient to the hand of the motorman. The ends of the transverse arms32 and 36 are connected, respectively, by draw-cables 38 39. By thisarrangement when the car approaches the switch if the pointis turned inthe required direction the motorman makes no movement, as the member 31being held normally in its elevated position by the action of the spring33 will pass over the projecting member 15 without engaging it. If,however, the switchpoint requires to be turned to the right, thestandard 35 will be turned to the right, which will cause the draw-cable38 to first rotate the standard 25 in its bearings 23 2 1 to throw thepoint of the triangular foot 31 to the left and then to at once swingthe standard 25 into a vertical position to bring the foot 31 into thepath of the projecting member 15, with its pointed forward end at theleft side of the same. Then as the car moves forward the foot 31 willthrow the rod 12 over and correspondingly move the switch. If, on theother hand, the switch-point is to be moved to the left, the motion ofthe lever-arm 37 is reversed, as will be obvious.

The rod 12 may be of any desired length, so that the point 11 may beoperated at any required distance in advance of the car to insure thecertainty of action.

The bracket 22 is slidably disposed upon the shaft 21, and surroundingthe shaft between the movable bracket and the frame 18 are springs 4.041, exerting a constant and uniform inward pressure upon the bracket andmaintaining it yieldably in its central position on the shaft.

The springs will be strong enough to overcome the resistance of thepoint 11 under ordinary conditions, but will yield and permit the footto pass the projection 15 in event of abnormal resistance or clogging ofthe switcl point, and thus obviate any danger of breakage of the parts.This is an important feature of the invention and adds materially to thevalue and efficiency of the invention.

In Fig. 5 a modified form of some portions of the structure are shownconsisting in connecting a standard 12 to the free end of the crankmember 15 by a crank-arm 4:3 and link 4: 1 and attaching a triangularplate 45 to the upper end of the standard 42, the plate lyinghorizontally and relatively close to the surface of the tamping orpaving. The foot 31 in this modified construction is replaced by a pin46, extending for engagement with the plate 4E5 when the standard 25 isdepressed and oscillated, as before described.

The modified construction shown in Fig. 5 may be employed under somecircumstances, if required, without departing from the principle of theinvention, as the operation and results produced are the same in bothstructures.

The device is simple in construction, certain in its action, easilyoperated, and may be applied to any of the various constructions ofswitch-rails in ordinary use.

Having fully described the invention, what is claimed is 1. In a switchoperating mechanism, a movable switch-point, means connected foroperating said switch-point from in advance thereof, a standard mountedfor oscillation and likewise swinging vertically from a car andterminating in a lateral foot member, and means underthe control of theoccupant of the platform of the car for consecutively oscillating andswinging said standard to cause said foot member to engage saidswitch-operating means from either side.

2. In a switch operating mechanism, a movable switch-point, meansconnected for operating said switch-point from in advance thereof, astandard mounted for oscillation and likewise swinging vertically from acar and terminating in a lateral foot member, means under the control ofthe occupant of the platform of the car for consecutively oscillatingand swinging said standard to cause said foot member to engage saidswitch-operating means from either side, and springs bearing uponopposite sides of said standard and maintaining the same yieldably fromlateral movement.

3. In a switch operating mechanism, a movable switch-point, a rodmounted for oscillation and extending in advance of the switch-point andwith a vertical projection at the advanced end, coupling means betweensaid rod and said switch-point, a standard mounted for oscillation andlikewise swinging vertically from a car and terminating in a lateralfoot member, and means under the control of the occupant of the platformof the car for consecutively oscillating and swinging said standard tocause said foot member to engage said projection of said rod from eitherside.

4. In a switch operating mechanism, a movable switch-point, meansconnected for operating said switch-point from in advance thereof, astandard mounted for oscillation and likewise swinging vertically from acar and provided at one end with a lateral foot and at the other endwith laterally-extending arms, a standard supported for rotation throughthe platform of the car and provided at one end with an operating-handleand at the other end with laterally-extending arms, and connecting meansbetween the arms of said platform-standard and the arms of said swingingstandard.

5. In a switch operating mechanism, a movable switch-point, meansconnected for operating said switch-point from in advance thereof, asupporting-frame for connection to a car and having a transverse shaft,a bracket mounted for rotation upon said shaft and having a stop-lugextending therefrom, a standard rotatively supported in said bracket andterminating in a laterally-extending foot a lateral foot, springsbearing against said bracket from opposite sides for maintaining thesame yieldably in position upon said shaft, and means for actuating saidstandard.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own have hereto aflixed mysignature in the presence of two witnesses.

REISON (J. \VRIGl-IT.

Witnesses:

GEO. lRWIN, R. J. Vmmuu.

